BIG DRY
Rising bill of PNG’s El Nino disaster EL Nino battered Papua New Guinea is bracing for more serious onslaught with predictions for worse in months ahead and into next year. The El Nino extreme weather has peaked
2015
West PAPUA hot on agenda
Another modest victory for pro-independence movement PACIFIC leaders are expected to discuss the situation facing the people of West Papua when they hold their annual Forum in Papua New Guinea this month. Although the
A catastrophic failure of ambition
AT the 1997 Forum leaders’ meeting in Rarotonga, Australian Prime Minister John Howard blocked a regional consensus on climate policy. Forum leaders were hoping for a strong, common position to take to Japan that
SEDITION Arrests and denials
A COMPANY of Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) soldiers has joined local police investigations into allegations of militarytype training in a remote mountainous area in Fiji’s Western Division. The
Cook Islands at
FIFTY years of self-government and free association with New Zealand has raised more questions than answers as Cook Islanders contemplate the relevance of that relationship today, as well as their place in the world and
Birds on the brink
IMAGINE yourself in a helicopter, over the open ocean, for 100s of kilometres and what seems like hours. You’re attempting to play it cool, hoping your pilot has no trouble finding the small ‘pin
End of an era of FISHING for DIPLOMACY
Push for control on tuna stocks AS the dust clears from the August negotiating session between American and Pacific island fisheries representatives, two things are clear: The islands gained a solid financial deal
We Say
Friends and foes in a new frontier INDIA’S forum for Pacific leaders in Jaipur last month came at an opportune time for regional heads of government and pre-empted their meeting in Port Moresby. Held just over a year
RACE against TIME
THE 3rd Annual PIDF Summit will be held at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva from September 2 to 4. The theme is “Building Climate Resilient Green Blue Economies.” Delegates from across the Pacific and
Editor’s Note
ATTENDING a Pacific trade and investment seminar in Fiji last month, the official delegate from the Cook Islands spoke what must have been going through the minds of many a delegate when he said, “As a small
Whispers
LIKE flotsam, the power of the published word – via newspapers – seems to have floated across the Pacific Ocean and nestled on the shores of Samoa to flourish in that island country’s world of
Controversy rocks church
PASTORS out over $21m debt THREE church ministers are embroiled in controversy with their employer after they were suspended over their role in a AU$21million debt in Australia. Reverends Sione Pinomi, Viliami Tu’akoi
NO to Pacific-US trade pact
PNG accuses Forum of ‘misleading’ island nations HOPES for a free trade agreement between the islands of the Pacific and the United States were not enthusiastically embraced by senior officials of the
Winds of support propel Pacific Meteorological Services
THE “Nuku’alofa Declaration for Sustainable Weather and Climate Services for a Resilient Pacific” was endorsed by the first ever Pacific Ministers of Meteorology in Tonga in July. This is the first
Official line on TV bump
THE world of TV can be a cutthroat business with operators trying to squeeze maximum dollar out of every possible minute of programming. That’s why it matters as to who holds the rights to sports events such as
Fish less, earn more urges FFA Fisheries Ministers
State of Tuna Report 2015 – Special Feature TUNA owning islands of the Pacific still want to see increasing returns from their fishery by increasing the value of tuna rather than volume of tuna fished or sold to
Brace for tuna revenue declines: Dr Aqorau
State of Tuna Report 2015 – Special Feature TUNA resource owning nations may be enjoying premium price for their fish, but they have been warned to prepare for “rainy days.” The warning was issued by
James Movick secures 3 more years
SUSTAINABILITY will be key as Director General of the Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency James Movick secures his second and final three year term as Director General of the Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency. With the
The Pacific bigeye problem
State of Tuna Report 2015 – Special Feature While researchers test promising technical solutions at sea, decisive action to end the overfishing of bigeye tuna in the Pacific is a must. ONE of the most adaptable
Cruise options bring hope
Bougainville looks beyond mining to tourism WITH increasing pressure from local landowners on environmental issues, Bougainville is looking for options which will allow conservation of its natural resources. Until the
Nauru becomes Pacific Central
Airline gateway to the Northern atolls THE high cost of travel to the Northern Pacific has been a major impediment to the development of a real tourism market in the area despite the huge potential for diving and
Rising to the moral challenge of CLIMATE CHANGE
Pacific people, of all faiths, are deeply grateful for the leadership shown by Pope Francis on climate change. We must respond by pressing for an ambitious, and just, global agreement at climate negotiations in Paris in
Lots more goodwill need to flow into trade talks
BOTH parties seeking a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) – the European Union on one side of the table and Pacific members of the African, Caribbean and the Pacific bloc on the other – need